Circuit breaker



Jan. 21, 1930. R. J. WENSLEY 1,744,188

CIRCUIT B'REAKER Filed April 1922 3 Sheets-Sheet l WITNESSES: INVENTOR 2R FQW Ray J. l/l/e/vs/ey m BY 5 ATT'ORNEY Jan. 21, 1930. J, w Ns 1,744,188

CIRCUIT BREAKER Filed April '7. 1922 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 WITNESSES: INVENTOR Rog; J. l l /7S/)/ ATTOR N EY Jan. 21, 1930. R. J. WENSLEY 1,744,188

CIRCUIT BREAKER Filed April 7, 1922 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 O 2? Q ii :5 F 3 1, l

WITNESSES: 46 INVENTOR a; fioYJ. l/l/ens/ey ATTORNEY Patented Jan. 21, 1930 UNHTED STATES PATENT @FFEQE P NnTSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR I'O WESTING- COIEPANY, A CORPORATION OF PENNSYL- crnourr BREAKER Application filed April 7,

My invention relates to circuit breakers and particularly to means for controlling the operation thereof.

This invention is particularly applicable to circuit breakers wherein an electromagnetically operated closing mechanism is employed and it has for its object the provision of means whereby the necessity of maintaining current in the closing magnet during the time that it is desired to maintain the circuit breaker in closed position is avoided.

A further object of my invention is the provision of means whereby the latching mechanism of a circuit breaker controls the circuit through the closing coil and also the provision of an improved form of latching device.

Still another object of my invention is the provision of a simple and efiective system for controlling an electrical circuit.

As shown in the accompanying orawings, Fig. 1 is a view, in front elevation, of a circuit-breaker-opcrating mechanism. embodying my invention.

Fig. 2 is a view of a portion thereof. in side elevation,

Fig. 3 is a view, partially in side elevation and partially in section, of a portion of the apparatus illustrated in Fig. 1,

Figs. 4, 5 and 6 are detail views of certain of the parts shown in Figs. 1 to 3, inclusive, and

Fig. 7 is a diagrammatic view illustrating the electrical connections for the apparatus shown in Fig. 1.

The apparatus comprises a base 8 that is mounted upon a supporting structure 9 which also supports a circuit breaker 10 within the tank of which the main switch contact members (not shown) are mounted. The apparatus for controlling the movement of the circuit breaker 10 comprises a closing coil 11, an electro-magnet 12, and a holding coil 13.

The electromagnet 12 is provided with an armature 15 that is mounted upon a shaft 16. A switch 17, that is provided with an arc chute 18, is normally biased to open position by means of a spring 19 and the weight of the moving parts. The switch 1'? is secured to the shaft 16 and is moved to closed positi 1922. Serial NO. 550,270.

upon energization of the coil of the electromagnet 1 to attract the armature 15.

The switch 17 controls the circuit through the coil 11 and, upon its closure, an armature 21, that is mounted upon a shaft 22, is actuated to move a crank arm 23, that is mounted upon the shaft 22, in a clockwise direction. This movement of the arm 23 nulls a rod 24i- (l ig. 2) to the left, thereby actuating a bellcrank lever 25 to raise a lift-ing rod 26 that carries a bridging contact member (not shown) within the circuit breaker 10.

Upon actuation of the armature 21 to close the circuit breaker 10, the projecting por tion 28 thereof depresses a plunger 29 that is normally biased upwardly by a spring 30. This movement of the plunger 29 closes a circuit through a switch 31. A compression spring 32 being provided to serve as a yielding connection between the switch 31 and the member 28.

The switch 31 controls the circuit through the holding coil 13 that is provided with an armature 3-1 which is mounted upon a shaft 35 and actuates an operating rod 36 for controlling a switch 37. The switch 3'? is normally biased to closed position by a spring 8760. The core of the electromagnetic holding coil 13 is provided with a. shading coil 38 to prevent vibration thereof when alternating current is employed.

The shaft 35 carries a latching lever 39 that engages a latching bar 10 when the armature M is energized.

The latching bar 40 is rigidly secured to the shaft 22 and occupies the position illustrated more clearly in Fig. 3 when the closing coil 11 has been energized to close the circuit breaker 10 and is maintained in such posit-ion by the latching lever 29, so long as suhicient current flows through the holding coil 13. The coil 18 is a low-energy coil and, consequently, serves to maintain the circuit breaker in closed position with a minimum consumption of current, while, at the same time, functioning as a low-voltage release device. The switch 37 is in the circuit of the coil of the electromagnetic device 12.

The inter-relation of the parts just described be clear from an inspection of Fig. 7, wherein l5 and 46 represent the main circuit which is controlled by the circuit breaker 10. The coil of the electromagnetic device 12 is connected across the circuit l5a-46.

With the parts in the position illustrated in Fig. 7, closure of the circuit through line 45a will cause energization of the actuating switch 31 is closed and the holding coil 13- is energized to bring the latching lever 39 into locking engagement with the latching bar 40 that has been moved to locking position upon the actuation of the armature 21. The energization of the coil 13 and the con sequent movement of its armature 34 causes the switch 37 to be opened, thus breaking the circuit through the coil 12. Upon the open ing of the circuit through the coil of the electromagnet 12, the switch 17 is permitted to be biased by its spring 19 and interrupts the circuit through the closing coil 11.

However, upon interruption of the coil 11, its armature 21 is maintained in the position illustrated in Fig. 2, by reason of the latch- 1ng members 39l0, and the switch 31 is thereby still held in closed position to maintain the circuit through the coil 13.

Upon a predetermined drop in voltage through the circuit t5a46, thecoil 13 is deenergized suiiiciently to permit its armature to be biased to open position by the weight of the moving parts controlled thereby, thus carrying the latching lever 39 out of engagement with the bar L0 and permitting the shaft 22, the armature 21 and the crank 23 to swing in a counter-clockwise direction. This movement effects the opening of the circuit breaker 10 and causes the switch 31 to be opened, thus interrupting the circuit through the coil 13, and the switch 37 is also again closed to complete the circuit through the coil of the electromagnet 12. The coil of the electromagnet 12 may be so designed as to be sufiiciently energized, upon the occurance of a predetermined load in the circuit, to again close the switch 17 and cause the energization of the closing coil 11.

From the foregoing description, it will be seen that I provide automatic opening and closing mechanism for controlling the circuit and means whereby the circuit breaker is maintained in closed position with a minimum expenditure of energy while, at the same time, being freely releasable. Furthermore, the circuit through the closing coil will not be opened except when the latch is actually in locked position, and the latch mechanism, in effect, constitutes the cutout switch for the closing coil.

Various changes in detail and general arrangement may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the accompanying claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. The combination with a circuit interrupter and an electromagnet for closingthe same, of means for opening the circuit through the electromagnet when the interrupter is closed, means for moving the interrupter to open position upon a predetermined decrease in value of the current in the circuit, and means for closing the circuit through the electromagnet after the interrupter has been moved to open position.

2. The combination with a circuit interrupter, of an electromagnetic means for closing the same, an electromagnetic means for closing the circuit through the closing electromagnet, a holding coil, means actuated by the first said electromagnetic means for con trolling the circuit through the holding coil, a circuit-interrupter latching device operated by the holding coil, and means for automatically breaking the circuit through the closing electromagnet upon movement of the latching device into operative position.

3. The combination with a circuit interrupter, of electrical means for closing the same, an electromagnetic means for closing the circuit through the electrical closing means, a holding coil, means actuated by the electromagnetic means for controlling the circuit through the holding coil, a circuit-interrupter latching device operated by the holding coil, and means controlled by the holding coil for breaking the circuits through both the electromagnetic means andthe electrical closing means upon movement of the latching device into operative position.

4. The combination with a circuit interrupter, of electrical means for closing the same, means for closing the circuit through the closing means, a holding coil, means for controlling the circuit through the holding coil, a circuit-interrupter latching device operated by the holding coil, and means for automatically breaking the circuit through the closing means upon movement of the latching device into operative position.

5. The combination with a circuit interrupter, of an electro-magnetic means for moving the interrupter to closed-circuit position, an electro-magnetic holding means for retaining the interrupter in said closed position and means actuated by the movement of the holding means for deenergizing the first said electro-magnetic means.

6. The combination with a circuit interrupter, of an electro-magnetic means for moving the interrupter to closed-circuit position, means for retaining the electro-magnetic means in closed position when deenergized, an electro-magnetic means for engaging the retaining means and for deenergizing the first said electromagnetic means when energized.

7. The combination with a circuit interrupter, of an electromagnetic means for moving the interrupter to closed-circuit position, a latch for retaining the electromagnetic means in closed position when the latter is deenergized, an armature for actuating the latch, means for deenergizing the actuating means, and a second electromagnetic means adapted to actuate the said armature and the deenergizing means when energized.

8. The combination with a circuit inter rupter, of an electromagnetic means for mov ing the interrupter to closed-circuit position, means for deenergizing the electromagnetic means and a holding electromagnetic means for actuating the deenergizing means and for retaining the first said electromagnetic means in circuit-interrupter-closed position when energized.

9. The combination with a circuit interrupter, of an electromagnetic means for moving the interrupter to closed-circuit position, means for deenergizing the electromagnetic means and a holding electromagnetic means for actuating the deenergizing means and for retaining the circuit interrupter in closed position when energized.

10. The combination with a circuit interrupter, or" an electromagnetic means for moving the interrupter to closed-position, a holding electromagnetic means for retaining the circuit interrupter in closed position when energized and means for energizing the said retaining means actuated by the first said electromagnetic means when energized.

11. The combination with a circuit interrupter, of an electromagnetic means for moving the interrupter to closed-circuit position, a holding electromagnetic means for retaining the circuit interrupter in closed position when energized, means for energizing the said retaining means actuated by the first said electromagnetic means when energized and means for deenergizing the first said electromagnetic means actuated by the second said electromagnetic means When energized.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name this 10th day of March 1922.

ROY J. WENSILEY. 

